Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1887-10-22
Rattlesnake and Rat.

) was fortunate not long since in
capiuFinr. without injury. very fine
specimen Of the rattieenake species of
rept ia Wishing to study the habits
Of this lecles, did not take the usual
prefaatlon " extra ting the poison
fans but placed him IN 4 large. strong
.y-bulst- wlIe cage From the day Of
H. IMPRISONMENT be exhibited the ut
mos indifference - hi> surroundings.
Al lay ii. would lie coiled up in one
corner OF his cage. taxing no notice Of
1uH sre>cuce unlea> touched by switch.
~ seemed n il the switch had some
peculiar effect upon the reptile a. on
heit tpucAed by it, his rattles instantly
sounded. and he became the most per-
feet emDO.ment of rage that have ever
sttu
10 supply the reptile with food. |
Obtained several common toads, which,
| Had noticed served for food for aome
species Of snakes and of course | ex-
pected they would prove dainty morseis
for h5> majesty the rattler. When
paced IN tile Gaze the toads showed no
signs oI fear, nor dil the snake take
any notice Of them. thought this
might be caused by a loss Of appetite on
the part Of the raltler. 50 determined
TO let the toads remain in the cage for d
/ dav OF two and note results But the
| rattlc,nakc did not touch them. and in
+ i short time they We're jumping upon
4 the snakcs BODY and even perched
1 themselves on his head. without excit-
/ ing the slightest resentment AT their
! presumption. In fact, his lordship 5
! head seemed to be a favorlte resting
/ place for the toads.
'AfteI5tw wo OF three DAYS had passed
| took the toads from the cage and gave
them their liberty. | next obtained a
/ large rat. The snake in the meantime
had maintained his attitude of placid
Indifference to his surroundings No
sooner was the rat placed in his cage
than It exhibited every appearance Of
fear. II crouched in a corner as far
away from the snake as the cage would
permit, and remained there trembling
and wat hing It's enemy
Tho snake, how ver, on the appear
ance of the rat, exhibited the first signs
OF animation that had noticed since
his Imprisonment. His head, slightly
elevated, vIbrated from side to side;
every muscle of his BODY seemed in a
qulyer OF expectance; the rattles gently
vibrating, kept up a low, monotonous
sound. The whole appearance of the
snake recalled vIyidlv many of the
stories of snake-charming that | had
heard or read
just when the snake was in this atti
tude the rat opened the tragedy by sud
denly, with great swftness, springing
across the cage and upon the snake
Without pausing a second it sprane
back and resumed its original position
in the corner. The snake gave a Sigh
start as if surprised when the rat STRUCK
him, but his attitude for the momen
was unchanged.
''Gradually, however. the movement:
of the snake ceased, and in a brief time
after the rat struck him he fell on hi,
side and died without a struggle. Al
examination of the reptile showed tw,
wounds through the back of his head
CORES >ponding with the teeth of the rat
| could not find the heart to kill the rat
but gave him the right to life and liber
ty, which | thought he had well earned.
- Youth 5 C0mpanton
When Kansas editor takes his affi
davit that he saw q asshoppeT Hgh
down on the back of q robin an
lift him two feet high, IN an etfor
to carry him off, it is simply one soil
tary instance Of the wonderful rchnes
of the soil of that State. Next yea
they are going to tame the graashoppel
and use him to hunt rats.